Venetian blind cord guide



April 1964 A. D. VAN THlENEN VENETIAN BLIND CORD GUIDE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 16. 1961 FIG.1

FIGZ

ATTORNEYS April 28, 1964 A. D. VAN THIENEN VENETIAN BLIND CORD GUIDE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1961 FlG.1a

ATTORNEY April 28, 1964 A. D. VAN THIENEN 3,130,776

VENETIAN BLIND CORD GUIDE Filed June 16, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORAha reds 0 12m 7/7 6729, 22

mm MMM Ym/JAV ATTORNE Y5 United States Patent ()fiice 3,130,776 PatentedApr. 28, 1964 3,130,776 VENETIAN BLIND CORD GUIDE Andreas D. vanThienen, Rotterdam, Netherlands, assignor to Hunter DouglasInternational (Quebec) Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporationof Canada Filed June 16, 1961, Ser. No. 117,557 Claims priority,application Netherlands June 23, 1960 2 Claims. (Cl. 160-478) Thisinvention relates to a device for guiding the cords of a Venetian blindprovided with a head rail, and to a Venetian blind equipped with such adevice. The invention aims at constructing the device for guiding thecords of a Venetian blind in such manner that it may be easily mountedin the head rail of a Venetian blind and, moreover, produces areinforcement of said head rail. This is attained by the deviceaccording to the invention in that said device comprises an insertelement of such dimensions as to be adapted to be mounted in the headrail of the Venetian blind and in which one or more guiding means forthe cords are provided, as well as a locking device serving to lock thecords, said locking device being provided with fastening means with theaid of which said locking device may be fixed relative to the insertelement. It is preferred to construct the guiding means as rollers or asa single roller on which a number of cords may run. The device accordingto the invention is particularly suitable for Venetian blinds withnarrow slats, of which the head rail has a relatively smallcrosssection.

In order to attain that the insertion element keeps the legs of the headrail together the insert element may, according to the invention,comprise lips adapted to engage the bent edges of the head rail of aVenetian blind. According to the invention the head rail is still betterkept together in that the insert element comprises lips adapted to lieagainst the bent edges of the upper head rail of the Venetian blind.

According to the invention the insert element may comprise a bearing forthe actuating shaft of the Venetian blind. The insert element may,furthermore, comprise one or more abutments adapted to co-operate withthe upper edges of the head rail of a Venetian blind and by which it isattained that the insert element can be accurately put in place.

In order to arrive at a rigid unit the device may, according to theinvention, comprise a U-shaped supporting member of which the ends ofthe legs have fastening means adapted to cooperate with fastening meansof the locking device for the cords or with a closing plate. ThisU-shaped member may clasp the head rail of a Venetian blind and may besecured with the aid of one or more screws or like fastening means to awall or some other supporting means.

The invention also relates to a Venetian blind provided with a deviceaccording to the invention, said Venetian blind having a head rail ofwhich one of the side walls is provided at the ends with a recess oraperture allowing the lift cords of the Venetian blind to be passedtherethrough. The tilt cords may thereby pass through a recess oraperture of the head rail of the Venetian blind.

The invention will be further explained below with reference to theaccompanying drawings showing by way of example an embodiment of thedevice according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a section of a locking device and a supporting member forthe head rail of a Venetian blind on an enlarged scale.

FIG. la shows in perspective the insert shown in FIGS. 3-5 of thedisposition of the cords in engagement with the rollers.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the locking device.

FIG. 3 is a section of an insert element taken on the line IIIIII ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 4 is a side view of said insert element, in which the head rail isshown.

FIG. 5 shows a top plan view of the insert element.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the right hand end of a head rail.

FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of the right hand end of said head rail.

FIG. 8 is a section of a supporting member with a closing plate.

In FIG. 1 a head rail 1 is shown which is provided with a supportingmember 2. This supporting member comprises a U-shaped clip provided withapertures 3 offering the possibility of securing said supporting memberby means of screws or other fastening means to a wall, frame, ceiling orother carrying surface. The supporting member has at the end of each ofthe legs two slot-like apertures 4 into which lips 5 of a locking device6 fit. The supporting member 2 is of slightly resilient construction inorder to make it possible to introduce the lips 5 in the apertures 4. Inthe central portion of the U-shaped supporting member 2 there is a ridge7. In this way on the one hand it is attained that the locking device 6may be easily secured to the supporting member 2 and on the other handno inconvenience is experienced from the heads of the fastening screws.The end 8 of the lower leg 9 is slightly bent out of the plane of saidleg in order to afford some place for the lower locking lips 5 so thatthe ends thereof may project through the apertures 4. The end 10 of theupper leg 11 is bent in the manner shown out of the plane of said leg.

The locking device for the cords 12 is formed from sheet metal andcomprises a wall with recesses or apertures 13 and 14. The recess oraperture 13 serves to allow the cords 12 to be passed therethrough. Whenmaking this recess or aperture 13 the material originally present hasbeen turned up to a lip 15 on which the cords are running. This lip islocated above the sharp edge 16 of a recess 17 (FIG. 6) provided in thehead rail 1 to allow the cords to pass therethrough. Consequently thissharp edge cannot damage the cords. The material from the recess or hole14 has been partly turned up to two lips 5 somewhat spaced apartengaging the slot-like apertures 4 in the lower leg of the supportingmember 2. The upper end of the wall provided with the recesses 13 and 14has likewise two lips arranged one beside the other. This wall carriestwo upright wall portions 18, 19 in which there is mounted a shaft 20for a rotatable roller 21 on which the cords 12 are running, and also ashaft 20' is mounted therein for a pivotal clip 22 co-operating with asecond clip 23 which is pivoted about a shaft 24 fixed in the clip 22.Between these clips 22 and 23 the cords are clamped in the known way inorder to keep the Venetian blind at the adjusted height.

In FIGURE 1a the insert element 25 for guiding the cords is also showntherein. This insert element is also separately shown in FIGS. 3-5.

The insert element 25 shown in FIGS. 1a and 35 consists of sheet metaland comprises a bottom 26, two side walls 27 and 28 and one end wall 29.Above the bottom 26 there is provided a partition 30. Between saidbottom and said partition there is arranged a guiding roller 31 for thelift cords 12 of the Venetian blind. A thin U- shaped metal wire 32detachably arranged in the insert element serves to prevent the cords 12from getting entangled. In the embodiment of the insert element 25 shownonly one roller 31 and two guiding cords 12 have been indicated, butnormally at least four cords 12 will be present while also more than oneroller 31 may be provided. At the point where the roller 31 is locatedthere is an aperture 33 through which the lift cords 12 are passed.

In the end wall 29 of the insert element a bearing 34 is provided for anactuating shaft (not shown) of the Venetian blind. For this purpose insaid front a recess has been punched out of which the rim has beenturned up in order to obtain a satisfactory bearing surface for theactuating shaft.

In the bottom 26 and in the two side walls 27 and 28 there are providedapertures 35 for allowing the tilt cords (not shown) to be passedtherethrough. Of these apertures two are used according as the tiltcords should emerge. These apertures come in front of recesses 36 in thehead rail 1, when the insert element 25 has been put in place in saidhead rail.

In order to ensure that the insert element 25 cannot be pushed too farinto the head rail the end wall 29 of the insert element is soconstructed that it also serves as a limiting abutment against the endportion of the head rail 1.

As is further apparent from FIGS. 35 each of the side walls 27, 28 isprovided with two bent lips 37 fitting into the bent rims 38 "of thehead rail 1. Moreover, the side walls 27, 28 have substantiallyhorizontal lips 39 lying against the end of said bent rim 38 of the headrail 1. Consequenny the insert element 25 is firmly held in place.Moreover, the U-shaped supporting member 2 lends assistance in thisrespect.

FIG. 8 shows a supporting member 2 which is arranged at the other sideof the head rail 1. Here lips 41 of a closing plate 42 are in engagementwith recesses 43 of the supporting member 2. This plate 42 closes therecesses and apertures provided at that place in the head rail 1.

As is apparent from the above description all of the parts of theembodiment of the device according to the invention described above andshown in the drawings are so constructed that this device is adapted tobe mounted at the left hand end as Well as at the right hand end of thehead rail 1. Naturally this is not necessary, since this device may alsobe so constructed as to be exclusively suitable for mounting at theright hand end or at the left hand end of the head rail. Obviously, thelocking device may also be constructed in any other manner known permodifications of the device or Venetian blinds according to theinvention are possible without departing from the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A device for guiding and locking the cords of a Venetian blindprovided with a hollow head rail, said device comprising an insertelement fitting in said head rail, said insert element having a sideprovided with at least one aperture and said insert element beingprovided with at least one cord guiding means, said device furthercomprising a plate-like fixing means having at least one projectionextending through the aperture in the side of the insert element andthrough an aperture in one side of the head rail in order to fix saidinsert element in said head rail, said plate-like fixing means carryinga cord locking means arranged on its other side, said plate-like fixingmeans co-operating with a U-shaped supporting member for the head rail,said supporting member having legs provided with apertures co-operatingwith locking lips of the plate-like fixing means.

2. A Venetian blind provided with a hollow head rail and an actuatingshaft for the lift means of the blind slats, characterized in that it isprovided with a device for guiding and locking the cords of the blind,said device comprising an insert element fitting in said head rail, saidinsert element having a side provided with at least one aperture andsaid insert element being provided with at least one cord guiding means,said device further comprising a plate-like fixing means having at leastone projection extending through the aperture in the side of the insertelement and through an aperture in one side of the head rail in order tofix said insert element in said head rail, said plate-like fixing meanscarrying a cord locking means arranged on its other side, saidplate-like fixing means co operating with a U-shaped supporting memberfor the head rail, said supporting member having legs provided withapertures co-operating with locking lips of the plate-like fixing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,951,528 Pearson Mar. 20, 1934 2,091,032 Dodge Aug. 24, 1937 2,999,537Falck Sept. 12, 1961

1. A DEVICE FOR GUIDING AND LOCKING THE CORDS OF A VENETIAN BLINDPROVIDED WITH A HOLLOW HEAD RAIL, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING AN INSERTELEMENT FITTING IN SAID HEAD RAIL, SAID INSERT ELEMENT HAVING A SIDEPROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE APERTURE AND SAID INSERT ELEMENT BEINGPROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE CORD GUIDING MEANS, SAID DEVICE FURTHERCOMPRISING A PLATE-LIKE FIXING MEANS HAVING AT LEAST ONE PROJECTIONEXTENDING THROUGH THE APERTURE IN THE SIDE OF THE INSERT ELEMENT ANDTHROUGH AN APERTURE IN ONE SIDE OF THE HEAD RAIL IN ORDER TO FIX SAIDINSERT ELEMENT IN SAID HEAD RAIL, SAID PLATE-LIKE FIXING MEANS CARRYINGA CORD LOCKING MEANS ARRANGED ON ITS OTHER SIDE, SAID PLATE-LIKE FIXINGMEANS CO-OPERATING WITH A U-SHAPED SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR THE HEAD RAIL,SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER HAVING LEGS PROVIDED WITH APERTURES CO-OPERATINGWITH LOCKING LIPS OF THE PLATE-LIKE FIXING MEANS.